Also, if Biden does get into the race, Obama is obliged to at least publicly be all for Biden.
Forget about the fact that the Obamas and Clintons hate each other. Forget about Hillary’s dismal record as Sec. State. Forget about the email scandal. These are Democrats, they’d bury the hatchet if they had to in order to keep a grip on power for the party.
No, the issue is that Obama absolutely, positively ever refuses to admit he made a mistake. He picked Biden as his VP, which means if he fails to back him now, he’d be seen as admitting that Biden wasn’t the most qualified or capable to be his successor.
That makes the upcoming fight even more juicy, because it will get NASTY.
Obama couldn’t pick Hillary in 2008 for fear he would be Arkancided...probably on January 21, 2011 (the first day that would allow Hillary to serve two full terms after completing the rest of Obama’s term).